


Under Surveillance

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Spooks | MI-5
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-16 12:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11253198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Adam Carter wasn't killed in the car bomb, but he sustained serious injury.  Now back at work he and Lucas North have been assigned to work together.  Neither are entirely happy with the assignment.





	Under Surveillance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thedevilchicken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedevilchicken/gifts).



> Hi, thedevilchicken, when I saw your prompt I couldn't resist writing for it! Hope you like it.

“Look, I know you don’t particularly want to work with me.  And you think Harry’s sidelined you from the main action to take care of the cripple.  And yes, you may well have a point.  But I suggest you just get over it, and try and make an effort to at least be civil.”  Adam Carter was tired, frustrated and his arm was hurting badly.  He couldn’t be bothered to be tactful.

Lucas North glared at him and shrugged his shoulders.

 “And if it comes to that, I can’t say I’m wholly delighted with this assignment either,” Adam continued.  “But apparently sitting in a flat, monitoring long distance surveillance equipment is all I’m good for now.”

Most people would have said something reassuring along the lines of ‘I’m sure you’ll find you can do more in time’, but clearly Lucas wasn’t one of them.  He merely shrugged his shoulders again and departed into the kitchen.

Adam looked at the four monitors which were set up along one wall.  He wasn’t sure whether to be grateful they were only watching at certain periods, when notified by agents on the ground, which would be less tedious than ensuring a twenty-four hour watch.  At least if he was supposed to be concentrating on the monitors he could be justified in ignoring his silent companion.

Lucas returned from the kitchen, carrying bacon sandwiches and mugs of tea.  “Did you want any sauce?” he asked.

“Brown sauce would be good, please.”

Adam took the bottle and managed to open it with his left hand.  Unfortunately his dexterity with that hand still wasn’t very good and most of the sauce missed the sandwich and landed on the table.  Wordlessly Lucas took the bottle, poured some sauce onto Adam’s bacon and then cleared up what had been spilled.

“You can always ask,” Lucas said.

“Then I’ll never improve,” Adam snapped.

“Fair enough.”

Adam felt bad about the way he’d reacted.  Looking at Lucas properly he saw he didn’t look so much resentful as defeated.  It was true neither of them wanted this assignment, but taking his own resentment out on the other man probably wasn’t fair either.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said.  “My hand and arm are hurting like hell.”  He waved his strapped and covered hand with the missing fingers.  “I’d like to take some painkillers, but they tend to knock me out.  Are you okay to do the first shift?”

“Yeah, sure.  Grab some kip.  Do you need any help with your arm?”

Adam thought about it.  He could cope, but it wouldn’t be easy in his current state of pain and tiredness.  A second (complete) pair of hands would be helpful.  “If you don’t mind.”

“As I said, just ask.”

“Thank you.  Give me a few minutes to get sorted and I’ll give you a shout.”

Adam went into the bedroom and slowly sorted his things out.  He had been told he would eventually have some use in his right hand, but for the moment he was forced to manage solely with the left and everything seemed to take three times as long.  Finally he called Lucas in.

Once they had finished redressing his arm, Adam said, “Thank you.  I do appreciate the help.”

“That’s all right.  That’s what I’m here for, to keep an eye on you while you keep an eye on me.”

“I’m not keeping an eye on you.”

“What?”  Lucas gave a hollow laugh.  “Harry hasn’t told you to see who I contact, or try to contact?  Or if I recognise someone we’re watching and try to hide it?”

“No and no!  And let me make it clear from the beginning.  You may think there are others on the Grid who still don’t trust you fully, but I’m not one of them.”

Lucas examined him closely and then gave a small smile.  “I believe you.”

“Good!”  Adam gave an enormous yawn.  “Sorry, as I said, I’m knackered.”

“Get some sleep!”  Lucas said.  He turned in the doorway and smiled.

Adam gave a half smile in return and told himself not to think about how attractive Lucas was when he smiled.

***

Some hours later Adam woke, feeling considerably better.  He stumbled into the main room to find Lucas watching two of the monitors.

“Hey,” Adam said.  “You should have woken me to give you a hand.”

“It wasn’t necessary.  There’s not that much going on.  The biggest excitement was three drunk guys trying to play football with a beer can.  They might have been a decoy, but it’s hard to act with that degree of ineptitude.  Do you want some tea?”

“Please.  I don’t suppose there’d be any chance of some toast as well?”

“My wish is your command.”  Lucas gave a mock bow which made Adam chuckle.  “We can have cheese on toast if you fancied that.”

“Now that does sound good.”

“Excellent.  Take a seat.  You can give me a shout if anything exciting happens, otherwise you’ll be back to counting cats out mousing.”

The cheese on toast was wonderful, and Adam noticed Lucas had cut it in half so he would find it easier to eat.  When they had finished eating, Adam said, “I’ll take over.  You can get some sleep.  I’ll be sure to call you if it looks as though there’ll be a fight between the large tabby and the black cat from down the road.”

Lucas chuckled and then said, “I don’t sleep well, so it’s as easy for me to carry on.”

“Nightmares?”

“Sometimes.  I’ve still not adjusted to sleeping by myself.”  Lucas paused and Adam tried to indicate he would understand without actually saying anything.  He must have succeeded, because Lucas continued, “Being in solitary I could never relax, not knowing what would happen next, and after that it was shared cells with several others.  To be honest that wasn’t as bad, I coped with the sound of others sleeping much better.”

“In which case …”  Adam stood up and went into the bedroom, he pulled the bedding off the second bed and started to drag it into the main room.

“What are you doing?” Lucas asked.

“Making a bed for you on the settee.  Hopefully with me around you should find it a bit easier to sleep and the sound of my voice shouldn’t unduly disturb you.”

Lucas looked doubtful, but kicked off his shoes and pulled his jumper off before lying down under the duvet.  Adam nodded and picked up the dictation device Malcolm had provided to him.

“Another player has entered.  This appears to be a ginger tom.  And exited round the back of the building,” he began.

He heard Lucas snort and turned round to grin at him.  The grin and the raised eyebrows he received in return made him think it might well be worth getting to know Lucas North rather better than he already did.

He turned back to the monitors.  After a while a few people began going in and out of the houses the team were watching.  Lucas’ regular breathing had told Adam he was asleep, so he quietly recorded the activity into his machine, and then waited for the call which would let him know their stint was over for the night.


End file.
